Motive Of Killing In Tavern Brawl May Be Revenge Motorcyclists Involved In Deadly Clash Members Of Rival Gangs

FOR THE RECORD: Wednesday, December 13, 1995 CLARIFICATION: Timothy G. Myers, who is in jail in Spokane on murder and assault charges, has not worked for Burlington Northern since April 11, a railroad spokesman said Tuesday.

Revenge may be behind a double shooting at a Hillyard bar that left a Ghost Rider motorcycle gang member dead and a Hells Angels leader in jail on murder and assault charges.

Sean P. Kilgallen, 31, died of a gunshot wound in the bloody weekend brawl, and Gary G. Fisette, 23, was critically wounded, authorities said Monday.

Kilgallen and Fisette are tied to the Ghost Riders, law enforcement sources confirmed.

Murder suspect Timothy G. Myers, 42, is a founding member of the Spokane chapter of the Hells Angels.

Authorities are worried that the latest deadly clash between the rival biker gangs could escalate.

There are about a half dozen Hells Angels in the Spokane chapter, but other larger, wealthy West Coast clubs are sending members to Spokane.

The Ghost Riders have few members in the Spokane area. The group’s largest membership remains in Ephrata, Wash., where former national president Al Hegge once lived. He is serving a life prison term for arson and the 1983 shooting of a Spokane police officer.

Myers remains in jail on charges of second-degree murder and first-degree assault. A $500,000 bond was set Monday for Myers.

At least one Hells Angel, wearing a club T-shirt, showed up for Myers’ initial court appearance, watching the action on a closed-circuit TV monitor in a District Court hallway.

Myers rolled into court in a wheelchair, still suffering from a beating after the double shooting early Saturday morning outside the Comet Tavern.

“The facts will bear out a self-defense claim in this case,” said defense attorney Bevan Maxey, who represents Myers.

But Maxey misspoke when he said the two victims “are confirmed members of the Gypsy Jokers,” another motorcycle gang. None of its members was involved in the shooting, law enforcement sources said.

Police said as they arrived, Myers was being beaten and kicked by 30 patrons who spilled onto the street outside the North Market tavern.

Myers, who has been the chapter’s sergeant-at-arms and secretary-treasurer, was wearing his Hells Angels patch or “colors.”

Police recovered a handgun at the scene.

Neither Fisette nor Kilgallen was wearing Ghost Riders colors, but their association with that club is known, sources said.

There has been friction between the rival biker gangs since last year when the Hells Angels - the biggest outlaw motorcycle club in the world - opened its Spokane chapter.

Hells Angels members were suspected of a beating at the Ghost Riders’ Spokane clubhouse in April 1994, but police made no arrests.

One victim of that assault was Ghost Riders president Kenneth “Maggot” Fisette, who is Gary Fisette’s uncle, sources say.

Kenneth Fisette had his Ghost Riders colors and president’s patch taken from him in the attack.

Another Ghost Rider, John Paul Mack, had one of his eyes gouged out - a trademark assault of the Hells Angels, police gang experts said.

Kenneth Fisette was at the Comet during Saturday’s deadly shooting, and was involved in the early stages of the brawl, sources said.

A barmaid said a dispute between two women “about somebody’s old man” erupted into a full-scale tavern fight, complete with flying barstools and fists.

The patrons were ejected as police raced to the scene, arriving in time to find Kilgallen mortally wounded.

Court records show Kilgallen has 13 convictions for robbery, possessing drugs and stolen property, auto theft and eluding police. He was last released from the Washington State Penitentiary in June 1990.

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